Project Synergy

Learning Object Activity

Activity 1: Spell Your Name

Learning Objectives:

At the completion of the lesson, the student will:

  1. Understand the basic mechanism of binary storage
  2. Convert binary representation to decimal.
  3. Understand how ASCII implements character storage.

Materials:

1.  Web Browser

2.  Macromedia Shockwave

3.  Spreadsheet Software

4.  Paper

5.  ASCII Chart

Instructions:

  1. Students need access to a web browser and to spreadsheet software.

2.  Shockwave must be loaded onto the machine.

  1. Students must key in URL: www.lautremonde.com/bitlab.html.
  2. Teacher will supply to the student a sample document to illustrate the required output. This can be in the form of paper or an electronic file.
  3. Using the learning object, have the students spell their first name and record the results in binary.
  4. Student keys in each character of their first name followed by the space character, followed by their last name.
  5. Student records each character and the corresponding binary and decimal equivalents.

Assessment:

Students are expected to use spreadsheet software to display their answers.
See example below.

ASCII Character / Decimal value / Binary Representation
M / 77 / 01001101
a / 97 / 01100001
r / 114 / 01110010
y / 121 / 011111001

Project Synergy

Learning Object Activity

Activity 2: Low Order Values

Learning Objectives:

  1. Using the learning object, the students will distinguish between printable and non-printable ASCII characters by toggling switches and/or typing keyboard characters. Non-printable ASCII characters, such as a carriage return, a line feed, a backspace, etc. cannot be displayed on the screen or the printer.
  2. Students will associate the typed character with the equivalent binary code.

Materials:

1.  Web Browser

2.  Macromedia Flash

3.  Spreadsheet Software

4.  Paper

5.  ASCII Chart

Instructions:

  1. Students need access to a web browser and spreadsheet software.
  2. Macromedia Flash must be loaded onto the machine.
  3. Students must key in URL:
  4. Teacher will supply to the student a sample document to illustrate the required output. This can be in the form of paper or an electronic file.
  5. Students should toggle all switches to the OFF position.
  6. Students start by toggling switches one-by-one from the rightmost position to the leftmost position until they see a displayed character in the ASCII character white circle.
  7. When the first character appears note that the decimal equivalent value is above 32.
  8. Flip off switches until the number 32 is obtained. Explain to students that this is the space character.
  9. Instruct students to flip switches until the number 33 is obtained. Note that a character is displayed.
  10. Point out to students that any character below decimal 32 is non-printable.
  11. Students can key in numbers above 32 to discover which ASCII characters are associated with their decimal equivalents.
  12. Instruct students to key in characters and observe the binary codes produced.

Assessment:

The teacher will supply students with the decimal values of characters. The student is expected to discover and record the ASCII values and binary representations of each decimal value. See example below.

ASCII Character / Decimal value / Binary Representation
74
117
108
121
32
52

Anwser Key:

ASCII Character / Decimal value / Binary Representation
J / 74 / 01001010
u / 117 / 01110101
l / 108 / 01101100
y / 121 / 01111001
32 / 00100000
4 / 52 / 00110100